AN'S
hing I saw w
ck at me... was me - but
ill held that youthful shimmer I hadn't seen in years. There were no burns,
ger version, when
I touched my face. My
life?" I whispered,
he mirror blinked w
y, July
's bir
art st
back
efore t
the be
e the
numb - as the realization sank in. Then, sl
d, half-laughing, half-crying. "She sends me back... to t
a second chance, I wa
r the A
for C
for F
, I would
rt fresh, rebuild something real-I made th
ight. One drink. One p
child whose father I could
birthday party-a grand celebration planned to perfection, host
to go. Goddess
," I told Cindy, cl
u always have a migraine
ot work
those charity meetings? Oh p
tried honesty. "I just don
She twirled around in her silver gown, ha
ou're part of the family now.
smelling of cedar and arrogance. His eyes flicked
Zetian," he said under his
one
listened to
er stepped into
my previous life, but no it took an entirely different turn on me. Even w
*****
expensive liquor mixed with perfume that clung to your throat. Everyone loo
of finishing. Cindy was in her element - her laughter slicing through the cr
in sight. Not that
ld leave when a waiter appeared with a tray of drink
he Anderson sisters
. "Anderso
ther, Cindy was suddenly beside
ed, handing me a glass. "Just on
lly sho
's my birthday. D
p, unyielding. I didn't want to cause a sc
e s
n an
ano
ted to spin. The lights blurred, voices warped, laughter stretched into s
was in that dr
led. Too
t a little something t
h me. My legs went numb.
mbling through a hotel corridor.. Barefoot.
polish. I didn't know how I got there.
a door
Broad shoulders. The faint gl
ht me as I stumble
Ma
wolf - roar
inning too much to
sk who he was. But the w
My surroundings blu
hen -
****
blinds, slicing across a room I didn't recognize. My head thr
ked be
ty s
one
of a man I didn't know - e
s, my purse, my phone. My hands were trembling as I ste
an hour, scrubbing my skin raw. I told my
inside me agai
Ma
Who else could it be?
away together. Maybe the alcohol had blurre
dess didn't m
o I t
**
Avoided everyone even mirrors. But something
period ne
nc
wi
I bought a test, p
t appeared
sit
egn
to the floor. I sat there, on the cold marble tiles of the Ande
pered to no on
egn
en w
early
ht, I cal
second ring, his to
at i
," I said, my voice tre
len
I to
r a long time. I thought m
?" His voice was flat. N
e wo
cut deeper than a
n't even
y. He didn't offer to come
hun
ut out. I cried until my throat was raw, until my reflection in the mir
n given a
, I'd alread
. Shock. Disgust. Calculation. The An
sharply. "Before anyone fin
nk never
ver vi
ooked at
ements were made - as if marrying
g to do with him in thi
owing inside me, I convinced myself I
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